Local Employment Market Not Able to Absorb Influx of Graduates

Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says the recent increase in Fijians opting to travel overseas for work opportunities was because Fiji’s employment market isn’t equipped to handle the influx of graduates from secondary and training institutions.

Mr Rabuka made the comment during his visit to the Port of Lautoka on Friday. However, he said Government had introduced technical vocational education and training as a solution.

“That is one of how we can absorb those coming out of learning institutions, particularly, the academic learning institutions into technical and vocational training.”

The PM said the investment would significantly boost Fiji’s labour market, manpower, and human resources, aiming to utilise its own workers in the country instead of seeking overseas employment.

“I am confident that we have the capacity and the ability to be able to find the trainer who will be able to train our workers for our labour market.”

He said his visit was also to explore the possibility of relocating Suva-based shipping facilities to Lautoka.

“I’m here to look at the possibility of relocating some of the new facilities that we are visiting and building for the future of Fiji. Instead of Suva, we relocate to Lautoka where we feel as a Government, there is more room for growth,” he said.

He said this would provide opportunities to build Lautoka-based facilities to cater to the region.

“There’s more capacity to be handling tonnages that we intend to build to fabricate here in Fiji not only for our requirements but also the possibility of building for the region.

“I know it’s not been easy for those building ships to see us venturing into their area but I’m sure in the end, they will also be grateful that we’re going to be partners in the industry and that we rely on you and also those that we will be recruiting for the shipbuilding and ship repair facilities,” he said.

Fiji Ports Corporation Limited chief executive officer Vajira Piyasena declined to comment on the subject when he was approached on Friday.

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